


Take the hand.

by ConvenientAlias



Series: Tumblr Ficlets [12]
Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 10:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17262188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias
Summary: Erik and Raoul on a roof.Well, one of them is on the roof. The other one is over the edge. There lies the problem.





	Take the hand.

Erik had no time to think but he did anyway. Counted back the steps to how he had ended up in this position.

It wasn’t the first time he’d trailed the Vicomte up to the roof. Often to see the young man was having a clandestine meeting with Christine or the Daroga, other times only to watch Raoul gaze off into the distance. True that the roof had a nice view of the city. It was not a bad view to watch Raoul watch the city either, gaining the pleasure of the sight by proxy.

It wasn’t the first time Erik had stepped out of the shadows on the roof, either, to have a word. Sometimes to give a casual threat when Raoul had been getting too close to Christine, other times simply to remark on the weather and watch how Raoul tensed up anyhow. The boy was a ball of nerves.

And it was not the first time, as a result, that such a meeting had ended in fisticuffs.

It was, however, the first time Erik had ended up in a situation like this—namely, it was the first time he had fallen off the roof.

He had not fallen off entirely. The roof of the Opera Populaire was garnished in a heavily baroque style, and he had fallen off at a corner that was very adorned. So he was stuck clinging to a flourishing gargoyle, staring up at the more secure platform of the roof.

And the Vicomte was stretching a hand down to him.

“Monsieur, take it. I will pull you up.”

Erik eyed the hand. He was in a precarious position. If he reached up and moved much, he would dislodge himself, and without immediate support he would likely slip and fall. If Raoul were to pull his hand away…

“Don’t be foolish, monsieur—Take the hand! I’ll not have you turn me into a murderer just because I hit you harder than we thought I could.” Raoul stretched a little farther.

…no, Raoul would not do that, pull the hand away. He was not that sort of man. Were he to want Erik to die in a situation like this, he’d be more likely to scream at Erik and then run off. But despite their scuffle, Erik doubted Raoul wanted him to die at all.

“Monsieur! You will fall!”

Raoul would, and probably could, pull Erik up, if Erik would take his hand.

The only question was whether Erik’s pride could take it.

He glanced down at the ground. So far below—but would it be a greater fall, to accept this kindness from a man who was so far beneath him? From a man like the Vicomte. Was it worth it, even if he had to in order to survive?

“Monsieur. Please. For Christine’s sake. Think how she will feel if you die because of your feud with me.”

The name startled Erik. He had not been thinking about her at all, not all evening. But that was what Raoul thought of this; he would save Erik for Christine, the truth came out. Because Christine cared for him, so even if Raoul resented it, he would have to help. Erik laughed, and without further thought he reached up his hand. Strenuously, they worked him back onto the roof.

He sat on the ground heavily panting afterwards, listening to Raoul rant about how stupid he’d been to hesitate and how he had nearly died. But the thought of death was already distant from his mind. He’d have to do something to frighten this boy soon, after he’d seen Erik so vulnerable. He’d have to fix things. Yes, it had been rather stupid…

He swung himself back on his feet and headed back downstairs, into the building.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm kind of in a ficlet mood lately. Shorter stuff, ya know.  
> This was for the prompt "'he had to, in order to survive.' raoul, erik". Hope it filled well!  
> I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Or come talk to me on tumblr at convenientalias.


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